Maharashtra sees massive Covid-19 spike, experts suggest steps to control cases

Maharashtra, India’s worst-hit state, reported the highest single-day spike in the cases of the coronavirus disease on Saturday with 49,447 Covid-19 infections.

Experts have said some tough decisions, which will not adversely affect the economy, have to be taken to curb the rising cases of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) in Maharastra and suggested putting more curbs on non-essential events and activities. Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray has already warned citizens of a lockdown if Covid-19 cases continued to rise at their current rate, saying medical infrastructure would fall short in a couple of weeks.

Authorities have clamped stringent restrictions across the state to battle the surge in the cases of the coronavirus disease. (Praful Gangurde/HT Photo)

Maharashtra, India’s worst-hit state, reported the highest single-day spike in the cases of Covid-19 on Saturday with 49,447 infections, which have taken the tally to 2,953,523, even as authorities have clamped stringent restrictions across the state to battle the surge. The western state, which accounted for more than half of the daily cases, on Saturday recorded more than 40,000 cases for the third day in a row. The state also recorded 277 fatalities pushing its death to 55,656.

India recorded 93,249 infections and 513 Covid-19 related deaths in the last 24 hours, the Union ministry of health and family welfare’s data showed on Sunday morning. It is the highest one-day surge since September 19 last year. The tally of the country, which is the third-worst affected by the pandemic after the United States and Brazil, now stands at 12,485,509 and its death toll has mounted to 164,623.

Here are the steps experts have said needs to be taken to tackle the surging Covid-19 cases:

1. Slash occupancy in public buses, suburban train network

2. Stagger timings for 50% employees allowed to attend work

3. Strict implementation of norms in malls Deploy Odd/Even-Day for markets

4. Prevent non-essential travelling at night to curb outings

5. Vaccinate all 18 and above across the state

6. Strict implementation of micro-containment zones

7. Prevent use of public places like gardens and beaches

8. Reduce attendance for weddings from 50 persons

9. Impose heavy fines on violators of home quarantine/non-mask wearers

10. Fine housing societies for not following rules for social gatherings